An opportunity to contribute towards the
history and development of psychiatry

Adopt-a-Book

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is inviting
you to donate towards the conservation and repair of its
antiquarian book collection.

The Collection

The College has a large collection of antiquarian
books, with some dating as far back as the 15th century. Most of
the books were donated to the College in 1895 in the form of
donations from the libraries of doctors Daniel Hack Tuke, J Lord, C
Lockhart Robertson and J Whitwell. The collection is an
important source of information on the history and development of
the medical descipline of psychiatry.

What is covered?

The collection is a great source of
information on the study of psychiatry, subjects
covered include:

The structure, functions and diseases of the
brain;

Causes and cures of nervous
disorders;

Administration of asylums;

Philosophy and anatomy of sleep;

Causes, prevention and treatment of mental
disorders;

Habitual drunkeness

The collection contains books written by
notable authors, such as Daniel Hack Tuke, Forbes Winslow, Henry
Maudsley, John Connolly, Emil Kraepelin and many others.

The appeal

The appeal for donations is directed
at anyone who is interested in restoring and conserving the
collection to a condition suitable for its use by
researchers, historians, and members of the public.It is also
directed at those who are interested in preserving the
collection as part of our national heritage.

How to adopt a book

You can adopt a book by getting in touch with
the College Archivist, Francis Maunze who can be found in the
Library Office (ground floor) or you can contact him on telephone:
020 3701 2539, email: fmaunze@rcpsych.ac.uk

What do you
get?

A bookplate with your details will be placed
in the book that you adopt. Bookplates can either carry the name of
a donor or be dedicated to another person, perhaps in their memory
or to mark a special occasion such as retirement. (See
the designs here).